There is a common misconception that enlightenment happens to the person, and that somehow this imaginary character becomes a no self. Anyone who thinks that they are enlightened, that this has happened to them also believes that there was a path or method that they used to get there or to attain that golden goodie. When there is simply nothing to attain and no one to get it. No-thingness is always already on, it’s merely recognized or not.
As you grow up you learn morals, you learn what to be like how to act in society. These rules generally coming from some religion, from some God or giant authority that seems to keep the society together.
One of the first ones they try to teach you how to try to be selfless. So they tell you to give some of your candy to Marianne, and Marianne is happy to get it and your parents or caregivers are happy that you've done it and so you feel good so this seemingly selfless act actually was very selfish wasn't it?
Lol
So the goal of many of these religions and societies is to become a selfless person. That sounds good to so many because they can't stand this pain that they feel and the loneliness and emptiness they feel inside.
People long to escape their humanness. Most have been taught that anger and jealousy are bad, so they are trying to have only nice happy thoughts and nice happy emotions and act selflessly, but this simply cannot be done.
It is quite understandable that some people would be trying to erase or change thought and emotion in order to feel better. However, I do not think that unless someone has heard of it they would be trying to get rid of the self.
So there are people who claim they have reached this rarefied atmosphere of no self, and often they are revered and people imitate their actions and speech. They give instructions on how to reach this unreachable place. Seekers love this stuff because it gives them a path and it solidifies the painful belief in self and personal volition. Which they are. The belief in separation is never challenged.
Teachers may say things like do nothing or rest as awareness, all perpetuating the most painful illusion of separation, of a doer and something to attain. Doing nothing is doing something. All trying or trying to not try perpetuate the illusion of someone who is trying.
How can you rest as awareness?
awareness is always bright and unhindered ...spontaneously indivisibly awareness and perception arise and simultaneously self release without time or non time
Without any effort or non effort
As these gurus are revered and given a lot of flattery it often goes to their head, and an authority hierarchy power driven cult is born.
I knew one woman who said that there's nothing that you can do or not do a few years later she was giving instructions.
Many teachers tell people to drop the story obviously not realizing that there is no one who can do or not do anything and that they exist only as a story, and many teachers seem have just to settled into a self-help program.
Awakening is realizing there never was a self or mountain
No one to have or lose a self.
No now nor anyone to be in it or out of it.
Yet it is realized that this conceptual overlay, this dream of this and that and you and me and we is the only place we exist
And love
And beauty
And wonder
It's simultaneously dream like and realer than real. More vibrant and lush when there is no hope or fear or need of a non existent next.
It never feels like there is someone doing life or that life is happening to a someone.
Excerpt from my first book
To Kiss What Cannot Be Kissed
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